Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-12-22
An Anomaly In State Politics.

|
An Anomaly In State Politics.
| We find the following political per-
sonal notice of Treasurer Seibert and his
chief clerk. Mr.. holland, going the
rounds of the country press and credit
ed to the Missouri Republican:
| State Treasurer Seibert and the chief
clerk in his Office at jefferson City, Mr.. Ed.
Noland, spent Sunday in st. Louis, and at
| their hotel met, during the day, a consider
able number of their political friends from
| both in and out OF the city. Mr.. holland il
| a candidate for the Democratic nomination
for Treasurer, and, it is said, Mr.. Seibert
encourages his ambition, and will do all In
his power to help him to the place. Mr..
Seibert, because he is to leave the Treas
urer's Office is not ready to retire from poll
| ties. His friends say he has an eye on the
place TO be made vacant by the retirement
| of Auditor John Walker one year hence.
However true this may be, Mr.. Seibert has
as yet made no public confirmation of it.
He is cunning politician. He is looking
over the field, he says, but the more discreet
who are marching under the banner of his
| friend holland, say Mr.. Seibert is LAYING up
his fences already, and that when he gets
ready to announce himself candidate there
will be no chance for any man to take a
successful race against him.
If it be true that Treasurer Seibert
is doing all in his power to nominate
his chief clerk to the Office Of State
Treasurer, and at the same time, is
putting forth every effort to boost hi M
self into the office of State Auditor, he
is undertaking to cut q very wide swath
and to accomplish more than any of
his predecessors ever dreamed of. The
constitution and the laws of Missouri
make the Offices of Auditor and Treas
urer distinct and separate, and the in
tendment of the law, as well as the
dictates Of common sense, demands
that persons elected to these offices
should be as far removed from influence
of one over the other as it is possible
for human beings to be. When we
contemplate the vast responsibilities
and powers conferred upon these Of
fees, the wisdom of the law is obvious.
The control of the entire fiscal affairs
of the State is vested in them. Mil
lions of dollars are annually received
and disbursed through their hands. In
word, the disbursement of the entire
revenue of the State is done through
their agency. If there were no consti-
tutional or statutory enactments upon
the subject, this fact of itself affords
Overwhelming reason why the one Of
ficer should be all ever present and
watchful check on the other. Not
merely check in name, but in fact
and in deed-a bold, willing and defiant
check, standing by the money chests
Of the people aud ever ready to pro-
farther!o But the powers of the Audi
tor and Treasurer extend even beyond
the fiscal fairs of the State. BY virtue
of their offices they ere ex-officio in
specIors of the penitentiary and as such
constitute majority of the Board of
Inspectors. They have power to APP
Deputy Warden, Clerk, Chaplain,
Matron and all other officers, keepers
and guards of the penal institutions; to
approve or reject all bids for contract
labor; to approve or reject all contracts
for provisions, clothing, forage. fuel or
other supplies. and in connection with
the warden they ABSOLUTELY CON-
troll THAT INSTITUTION. Nor does
the power of the Auditor and Treas
members of the State Board of Equal
ization, and their votes not only go
very largely towards determining who
shall fill the offices of said Board, but
likewise the assessed valuations to be
placed upon all railroad, telegraph and
bridge corporations of the State. The
mere mention of these vast powers
would suggest the idea to any thinking
man, that these offices above all others
should not only be separate and dis
tinct, but that persons selected to fill
them should be,as far as possible with
out influence over each other.
Such scheme as that foreshadowed
by the above extract presents an ano-
maiy In Missouri politics, and exhibits
spirit of office-seekirg and office
planning almost without parallel. 1t
forebodes an evil and dangerous and
insiduous precedent which the Demo-
cratic party can neither afford to en-
courage or establish. Behind the de.
partment at Jefferson City there is a
political power mig hitter than they. 1t
requires but an exertion OF that power
to ward off suoh precedent aud to
teach the heads of departments that
they cannot deliberately parcel out be-
tween themselves and their subordi-
mates the offices of an EN- pire!
The scheme is as unworthy the Treas
urer Of this great State as it is humili-
ating to the party that honored him
with office, and we are therefore both
to believe its truthfnlness. There Is
no promotion in it for Treasurer Sci
bert, and as yet we are not willing to
believe him SO greedy for office as he
is represented to be.-Huntsvitle Her
aid.